Business

If you were in the area in 1960, you may remember seeing Larry and Tway Oran building a small concrete structure at the entrance of Kingston City Park, next door to the white, two-story Oran family home.

Their mother operated Lakeside Grill in the building for a short time. Over the years, several other businesses have occupied the building, most recently the Blue Moon café.

In February 2011, Hungarian chef Andras Bartha began adding the foundation for a sidewalk bistro to the building.

September brings to mind the smell of fresh-cut football fields and the excitement of team spirit.
In keeping with that spirit, Roane County Chamber of Commerce officials are making plans to kick off the “We Mean Business” annual membership drive for 2012.

“This will definitely be a fun time for existing Chamber members to call on new ones and to network and compete with their Chamber counterparts,” said Darrell Williams, vice president of business development. “So, don’t fumble the opportunity to become a part of it.”

Roane County’s unemployment rate climbed for the second consecutive month, but the July jump wasn’t nearly as drastic, according to statistics released late last week from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

The state’s figures indicate the county’s rate for July was 8.3 percent, an increase of 0.1 over June’s 8.2 percent.

Roane County’s jobless figures were identical a year ago. The state showed the county’s jobless rate at 8.3 percent in July 2011.

Bunch Marine, Midtown, donated a Lowe Boats 14’ Delta Jon and Karavan trailer to be given as the grand prize during the 22nd annual Dennis Ferguson Fishing Rodeo for Kids. Winner Autumn Parks, right, recently picked up her winnings with her mother, Tonda Parks, and their friend, Butch. Bunch Marine is at 1640 Roane State Hwy. Call 376-7227 for details.

Roane Medical Center now is only six months away from completing construction on its new 155,000-square-foot medical center campus that will include a state-of-the-art hospital and a professional office building.

Roane Medical Center first received approval in April 2011 from the Tennessee Health Services and Development Agency to build the new medical complex.

The 64-acre campus is under construction on Roane State Hwy. in Midtown near Pinnacle Pointe, a commercial shopping center just off the Harriman/Midtown exit of Interstate 40.

An enthusiastic and furry welcome greets visitors at One- Stop Pet Shop in Rockwood.
The store at 108 N. Gateway Ave., which had its grand opening on Saturday, has been open several weeks and has a variety of animals, including those they let run the place.

On one particular visit, store mascot Maggie, a sweet-natured pup, is joined at the door by a peppy little brown-and-white mixed dog that was rescued. Also bounding nearby is a small kitten that doesn’t seem quite sure how to take Maggie’s bouncing cohort.